My Vision on Sardis,
Philadelphia, and Laodicea
“(Vs. 14-18.) Read the Third Chapter of
Revelation—In the message to the church
at Sardis two parties are presented—those who have a name to live,
but are dead; and those who are striving to overcome. Study this
message, found in the third chapter of Revelation. [Revelation 3:1, 2 quoted.] Who are meant by those that are
ready to die? and what has made them thus? The explanation is given, “I
have not found thy works perfect before God.” [Vs. 3-5 quoted.] {7BC 959.4}
“To the church of
the present day this message is sent. I call upon our
church members to read the whole of the third chapter of Revelation, and to
make an application of it. The message to the church of the
Laodiceans applies especially to the people of God today. It is a message to
professing Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference
can be seen [vs. 14-18 quoted]” (The
Review and Herald, August 20, 1903). {7BC 959.5}
This
November 1, 2018, the Lord gave me a vision explaining Revelation Chapter 3 on
the role of Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. I am so very thankful and
praising of the Lord for this instruction on a very important piece to the
panorama puzzle of truth. I had supplicated the Lord to give me a better
understanding of the following Ellen G. White statement:
(Vs.
14-18.) Read the Third Chapter of Revelation—In the message to the church at
Sardis two parties are presented—those who have a name to live,
but are dead; and those who are striving to overcome. Study this
message, found in the third chapter of Revelation. [Revelation 3:1, 2 quoted.]
Who are meant by those that are ready to die? and what has made them thus? The
explanation is given, “I have not found thy works perfect before God.” [Vs. 3-5
quoted.] {7BC 959.4}
“To the church of
the present day this message is sent. I call upon our
church members to read the whole of the third chapter of Revelation, and to
make an application of it. The message to the church of the
Laodiceans applies especially to the people of God today. It is a message to
professing Christians who have become so much like the world that no difference
can be seen [vs. 14-18 quoted]” (The
Review and Herald, August 20, 1903). {7BC 959.5}
If
Laodiceans are the foolish virgin state of the church, as Ellen White says,
what are the ones (Laodiceans) who repent. I asked the Lord to show me the
correct meaning of the above statement. He showed me that His bride is taken
from Laodicea to His own house (COL, pp. 405-406). That House is Philadelphia,
(Zion/Sion) the bride (Isaiah 62:`-5) the True Reformers who are written
(registered in heaven) Heb. 12:22, 23. The bride is removed first, for she has to be prepared to give the Loud Midnight Cry. "The
voice of God AND THE VOICE OF THE BRIDE" AWAKEN ALL TEN VIRGINS (COL 405).
The Laodiceans who respond to the bride's call, but who do not qualify as the
bride, are Sardis.
This is further proof that
Andrew Henriques is errant in his assumption that all Adventists who are saved
are one of the 144,000. That is a peace and safety lie. And thus, he advises
them to remain MEMBERS OF THE APOSTATE CHURCH, THE FOOLISH VIRGIN CHURCH. He
does not call even the bride out of that house of her father. This runs
contrary to the TYPE in which Jesus gathered out those who would carry the
gospel to the world. Thus, Henriques is NOT giving the Elijah message in ALL
its serious aspects. When he asks “Where is Elijah,” inferring it is his
message, Elijah does not err on serious issues like this and corporate
responsibility.
What is meant by those that are
ready to die? They will be the faithful martyrs who come out of the church at
the Midnight Cry, if they have not heard and rejected the invitation to be the
bride. Their works were not perfected as were those of Philadelphia, the bride.
So they give testament to their sincerity by becoming
martyrs. Ellen White says there will be many martyrs.
Ellen White said that ALL
CHURCHES ARE LAODICEAN--THAT MEANS ALL DENOMINATIONS. She said that the
Laodicean message applies to them all. So this means
that ALL FROM ALL FALLEN CHURCHES THAT RESPOND TO THE FINAL MIDNIGHT CRY CALL,
WILL DO SO AS MARTYRS, BECAUSE ONLY THE 144,000 ARE TRANSLATED WITHOUT SEEING
DEATH. That will involve a huge number of martyrs.
“The
parable of the wise and foolish virgins comes as a solemn warning to EVERY CHURCH. In the
parable, all the ten virgins went out to meet their Lord. All had lamps, and
vessels for oil. For a time there was seen no
difference between them. So with the church that lives
just before Christ's second coming. All have a knowledge of the Scriptures. All
have heard the message of Christ's soon approach, and confidently expect His
appearing. But as in the parable, so it is NOW. A time of waiting intervenes
[the tarrying time], faith is tried and WHEN THE CRY IS HEARD, [FUTURE]
'BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH GO YE OUT TO MEET HIM,' MANY ARE UNREADY. They
have no oil in their vessels with their lamps. They are destitute of the Holy
Spirit. Working, waiting, watching, and praying, this constitutes genuine
Christianity.” E.G. White, Review and Herald, Vol. 4, pp. 373-4, January 21, 1902.
"The
state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as
the Laodicean state." E.G. White, Review and Herald, 8/19/1890.
Since
no Laodicean will be saved in a lukewarm or cold apostate state, anyone who
repents of that foolish virgin state will become part of Sardis or
Philadelphia, the bride who goes into the Temple on Mt. Zion. Early Writings,
p. 19. In Revelation 3:10-12, Philadelphians are made PILLARS (LEADERS—PRIESTS)
in the Temple in heaven. Ellen White said only the 144,000 enter that Temple.
"The
church is in the Laodicean state. The
presence of God is not in her midst." E.G. White, Notebook
Leaflets, p. 99, 1898.
"To
the end of time, the presence of the
Spirit is to abide with
the true church." E.G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
"The
warning for the last church [Laodicea] also must be proclaimed to all who claim to be Christians. The Laodicean message, like a sharp, two--edged
sword, must go to ALL THE CHURCHES:...It is our work to proclaim this message. Are we putting forth every
effort that the churches may be warned?" Testimonies, vol. 6, p.
77.
"If the church of God becomes LUKEWARM
[LAODICEAN] it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the churches
that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of devils and
the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Those who have had
opportunities to hear and receive the truth, and who have united with the
Seventh-day Adventist church, calling themselves the commandment keeping people
of God, and yet possess no more vitality and consecration to God than do the
nominal churches, will receive of the plagues of God just as verily as the
churches who oppose the law of God." E.G. White, Letter 35, 1898.
The
above statement is another proof that Laodicea is a fallen habitation of
devils, and that the bride is taken from her father’s house (Laodicea—the
devils’ den), to Christ’s own house, Zion, in heaven, which she enters NOW by
faith.
If
Laodicea is not regarded with any more favor by God than the fallen churches,
and the call of Laodicea is to all churches, then there is no difference
between Laodicea and the fallen churches as far as being in a fallen state is
concerned. Different churches believe different aspects of Babylonian
teachings, but Ellen White equates them all as far as falling from the favor of
God is concerned, and as far as constituting the habitation of devils and the
hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
The invitation to the bride to
leave her father's house (The Synagogue of Satan, ye are of your father the
devil said Christ to the Jews) is being given now. All who accept the Elijah
shaking message will become the bride that gives the loud cry call. Christ is
waiting for His bride to make herself ready. That is our calling, to aid the
bride in making herself ready.
Jesus Takes the Bride From Her
Father’s House to His Own
Christ
with His disciples is seated upon the Mount of Olives.
The sun has set behind the mountains, and the heavens are curtained with the
shades of evening. In full view is a dwelling house lighted up brilliantly as
if for some festive scene. The light streams from the openings, and an
expectant company wait around, indicating that a marriage procession is soon to
appear. In many parts of the East, wedding festivities are held in the evening.
The bridegroom goes forth
to meet his bride and bring her to his home. By torchlight the bridal party
proceed from her father's house to his own, where a feast is provided for the
invited guests. In the scene upon which Christ looks, a company are awaiting
the appearance of the bridal party, intending to join the procession.
Lingering
near the bride's
house [not at it] are ten young
women robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon for oil.
All are anxiously watching for the appearance
of the bridegroom. But there is a delay. Hour after hour
passes; the watchers become weary and fall asleep. At midnight the cry is
heard, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." The
sleepers, suddenly awaking, spring to their feet. They see the procession moving
on, bright with torches and glad with music. They hear the voice of the
bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim
them, in haste to go forth. But five have neglected to fill their flasks with
oil. They did not anticipate so long a delay, and they have not prepared for
the emergency. In distress they appeal to their wiser companions saying,
"Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out." (Margin.) But the
waiting five, with their freshly trimmed lamps, have emptied their flagons.
They have no oil to spare, and they answer, "Not so; lest there be not
enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell,
and buy for yourselves."
While they went to buy, the procession moved on,
and left them behind. The five with lighted lamps joined the throng and entered
the house with the bridal train, and the door was shut. When the foolish
virgins reached the banqueting hall, they received an unexpected denial. The
master of the feast declared, "I know you not." They were left
standing without, in the empty street, in the blackness of the night.
As
Christ sat looking upon the party that waited for the bridegroom, He told His
disciples the story of the ten virgins, by their experience illustrating the
experience of the church that shall live just before His second coming.
The
two classes of watchers represent the two classes who profess to be waiting for
their Lord. They are called virgins because they profess a pure faith. By the
lamps is represented the word of God. The psalmist says, "Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet, and a light unto may path."
Ps. 119:105. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Spirit is represented in the prophecy of Zechariah.
"The angel that talked with me came again," he says, "and waked
me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, and said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a
candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps
thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof;
and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other
upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are
these, my lord? . . . Then he answered and spake unto
me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto
Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the
Lord of hosts. . . . And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which
through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of
themselves? . . . Then said he, These are the two
anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." Zech. 4:1-14.”
Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 405-408.
What I was shown concerning the
above statement:
·
Jesus told the Jews
that they were of their father the devil (Satan). He also said they were the
Synagogue of Satan.
·
Jesus “gathered out”
those who would take the gospel to the world. Desire of Ages, p. 232. They were His bride prepared by John the
Baptist. Desire of Ages, 179.
·
The bridegroom goes forth to meet his bride and bring her
to his home. By torchlight the bridal party proceed from her father's house to
his own, where a feast is provided for the invited guests. In the scene upon
which Christ looks, a company are awaiting the appearance of the bridal party,
intending to join the procession.
·
In the PREFIGURE
TYPE OF A.D. 27-70, the ten virgins were NEAR the bride’s house, the Home
Churches, BUT NOT AT OR IN IT.
· Jesus took His bride (the disciples) from their father’s
house, the apostate Temple, to His Home, True Jerusalem, the Home Churches
organized by His disciples, seven of which are enumerated upon in Revelation
Chapters 2 and 3.
·
By TORCHLIGHT is
meant the Spirit of Prophecy gift to the church, which is equal to the ancient
prophets sent to the Jews, Christ’s first chosen people. Those who
reject the Spirit of Prophecy TORCHLIGHT, will never qualify as one of the
144,000.
·
The
voice of God AND THE VOICE OF THE BRIDE,
awaken ALL TEN VIRGINS, all the people in ALL the apostate churches. Ellen
White calls ALL of them Laodiceans. Matthew 25 says that they ALL SLUMBERED AND
SLEPT.
·
Thus, the final
Midnight Cry is to ALL CHURCHES OF THE WORLD.
·
The bride is led
from her father’s house (Satan’s apostate church) to Christ’s own (Heb. 12:22,
23) where they enter by faith to the marriage. Early Writings, pp. 251, 255, as
follows:
“Jesus sent His angels to direct the minds of the
disappointed ones to the most holy place, where He had gone to cleanse the
sanctuary and make a special atonement for Israel. Jesus told the angels that
all who found Him would understand the work which He was to perform. I saw that
while Jesus was in the most holy place He would be married to the New
Jerusalem; and after His work should be accomplished in the holiest, He would
descend to the earth in kingly power and take to Himself the precious ones who
had patiently waited His return.” Early
Writings, p. 251.
“It was
represented to me that the remnant followed Jesus into the most holy place and
beheld the ark and the mercy seat, and were captivated
with their glory.” Early Writings, p.
255.
“Jesus sent His angels to direct the minds of the
disappointed ones to the most holy place, where He had gone to cleanse the sanctuary
and make a special atonement for Israel. Jesus told the angels that all who
found Him would understand the work which He was to perform. I saw that while
Jesus was in the most holy place He would be married to the New Jerusalem; and
after His work should be accomplished in the holiest, He would descend to the
earth in kingly power and take to Himself the precious ones who had patiently
waited His return.” Early Writings,
p. 255.
In the
Name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
R.
William Beaulieu